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The Sheffield culture guide written by in-the-know locals

Lucy Vann

Lucy Vann grew up in Sheffield and studied at the RCA. From her studio in S1 Artspace she works with video, sculpture, performance and installation. Her practice concentrates on minute instances within the world of the everyday, dwelling on gestures and fragments of conversation and unpicking ideas surrounding rituals and wellbeing. Her Instagram account is a testament to her preoccupation with the surreally mundane – @lucyvann is a drily hilarious gallery of observed, small-scale weirdness.

What projects or organisations are you affiliated with in Sheffield?
I’ve been a studio holder at S1 Artspace for about four years, I moved back from London to concentrate on my art practice. Being in Sheffield and at S1 is very nurturing and has allowed much more time and space to think.

What's your workspace like?
I keep my studio fairly minimal – we've moved around a bit but I've always had a desk, books and a view out the window. Having a regular place to go and people to be with is very important. Making work isn’t confined to one space though, it’s an ongoing thought process and parts of that naturally happen elsewhere.

How do you choose the themes you work with?
It doesn't feel like there's much of a choice! I’ve always been drawn to qualities present within overlooked or seemingly uninteresting moments. It’s probably my upbringing.

What, who or where should be better known in Sheffield?
S20.

What would you change about the city?
Some of the things that frustrate me about Sheffield are also what I like about it.

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